Under the Elements
by riona18
Summary: Balthier knows how he feels about Fran, yet Fran is unsure of how she feels about him. Will a certain string of events change that, or will she end up hating the poor sky pirate? Rated T for the moment.
1. Chapter 1

Hi There agian! I'm back with another BalthierxFran! I really do love this pairing. This takes place about 2 years after the game. This will be my first chapter story(that actually has a story line). So please, be honest and tell me what you think.

I so do own FF12. i bought the game and spent my 50 dollars on it. So there, make sence of that!!

* * *

She walked into the Strahl cockpit where she saw here partner fiddling around with some of the controls. The wayfarer observed the sky pirate. His usual calm demeanor was filled with anxiety. It appeared as I he did not even notice the Viera standing at the entry way. She strode silently to the copilot seat. He abruptly stopped messing around and looked at his partner.

"You mind making yourself a little more known. You startled me there." Balthier said with a smirk.

"Forgive me." Fran replied as she studied her partner. "What were you doing?" she asked.

"Oh…nothing. Just setting the coordinates to the Paramina Rift." He replied as he flicked the final switch. "What's wrong?" the ex judge asked as he glanced over to his partner.

"Nothing is wrong. Something troubles you? Why do we go to the Rift?" she shot back.

Baltheir stared at this partner "there are some valuables in the Stilshrine of Maruim that I thought we might salvage. Nothing troubles me. The engine is making a strange noise and I was wondering if it has to do with that we are in Jagd Difor." He said as the both looked out the windshield and saw the jungle below them. "It's been a while since we received the stone though…I don't know why it would be giving her any problems. Perhaps something else is malfunctioning." He finished as he returned to the controls.

"I shall examine the engine room." Fran said as she continued to watch the sky. She looked at her partner as she rose. 'What is he worried about?' she wondered as she walked out.

The sky pirate's eyes followed his partner as she walked out of the cockpit. After the doors closed and her footsteps were no longer heard he let out a sigh. 'Always have to get straight to work, don't you?' he thought as his attention returned to the control panel. Balthier really wished that Fran would open up to him more. I mean, of coarse, he knew more about her than probably any other Hume would know, but she new Balthier probably more than he knew himself. "But such is life" he said aloud to himself and he continued his work.

* * *

Fran entered the engine room to find the source of the noise. The smell of oil bored into her nostrils as she examined all the machinery. "All the equipment is functioning." She said to herself as she proceeded to walk over to the sky stone. She noticed that the mist coming from the stone was flaunting. 'Why did I not notice this earlier?' she wonder to her self. She went to touch the stone when it shattered. As the stone shattered she ship gave a deep lurch.

"FRAN!!!" the Viera heard her partner scream.

* * *

She quickly made her way to the cockpit to see her partner trying to keep the ship in the air. She sat down in the copilot seat and started to help keep the ship up.

"What happened?" Baltheir asked.

"The skystone shattered." She replied simply.

Balthiers eyes shifted to his partner. "The stone did what?" he asked with disbelief.

"It shattered. We shall have to reuse the one that we had before this gift from Reddas." She replied without any sound to hint that she was concerned.

"We are going to crash into Golmore." He said with disbelief as the ship made impact.

* * *

Well, that's it for the first chapter. Tell me what you think, okay! and also, i think that i maight want to put some side pairings in the stroy. Any suggestions? R&R


	2. Chapter 2:Afterwards

A cloud of smoke came up from Golmore Jungle. A little ways from the exit towards the Paramina Rift was the Strahl's crashing point. From the inside of the ship the two sky pirates began to stir.

"Fran, are you alright?" Balthier asked his partner.

"I am fine, and you?" she replied.

"Could be better if, oh I don't know, maybe me ship hadn't crashed into this God forsaken jungle..." he replied irritably. "Don't suppose we have another stone, do we?"

"We do, but it will not fly. It does not work in Jagd. We will have to leave her, go to Archades, then come back and fix her. Not to mention that I have yet to check the engine to see if it is still functional." she replied.

She went to move and felt a pain sear through her leg. _'I have been injured'_ she thought to herself as she sighed in defeat. She then looked over to her partner. "You have been cut. Do you require assistance?" the Viera asked.

The former judge looked down at his arm. "Well fancy that." He said as he looked at his partner's leg. "Come Fran; let us go to the medic ward." Balthier said as he pulled himself from under the pilots' seat.

They walked in silence as they proceeded to the ward. "What are you thinking about? Balthier asked, unable to read his partner.

"Nothing." Fran replied. Baltier looked in to her eyes and could tell that she was lying. He then gave her a skeptical look. "Don't tell me then." He said with a slight pout.

"I wish not to speak of it." She said in her usual monotone. They entered the medic ward and a moogle looked up from behind the counter. "What is the matter, kupo?" she asked.

"Did you not feel or hear the ship crash?" Balthier questioned with a hint of irritation.

"We have been injured. Can you cover them?" Fran interrupted before her partner blew a gasket.

"Sure thing, kupo!" Alta the moogle chirped.

As the duo was getting their wounds bandaged, Balthier examined his partner. Fran was staring distantly out of the window. '_What could possibly be bothering her so much?'_ he contemplated as Alta finished patching up his arm.

"Sir." Alta spoke, breaking Balthier from his thoughts, "Can you please leave the room so that I can finish Miss Fran's wound?" the moogle asked.

"What?" he said at he looked at Fran. His eyes wondered down her cocoa skinned body, taking in her foreign yet familiar beauty. His eye then met his partners injured leg. A sudden sadness over came his body. He remembered his partner after he had to carry her out of the Bahamut. She fell unconscious after she told him that he was a 'supporting role'. He had never felt lonelier. After they escaped the airship, he found himself walking into the village in the Dalmasca Estersand. Once there, she remained unconscious for 2 weeks. Balthier has started to believe that she would never wake up. He had never seen her, his partner, his best friend, his viera, in such a frail state, so lifeless. It was then the pirate realized that he would be empty without her, and that he would do anything to make her happy.

"Balthier, something troubles you?" Fran's voice rang though his head like music.

"No, sorry. You'll be fine?" he asked as she nodded her head yes. "Then I will be making the necessary preparations for us to make our journey to Archades for a new stone." He replied as he walked out. He closed the door and proceeded to the engine room. "NONO!" he yelled and the moogle mechanic walked in.

"Yes, kupo?" he asked.

"Check the engine for damage. If there is any, fix it. Fran and I are going to Archades for a new stone. Can you have it done by the time we get back?" the pirate asked.

"You can count on me, kupo! Though, it would be nice if you would quit trashing her up though." The moogle pouted.

"Alright, Alright. I'll try to take an easy on her." Balthier promised.

In the medic ward, Alta was finishing patching up Fran's wound. "What's wrong, kupo? You seem deep in thought." The moogle shook his pompom.

Fran looked at the moogle. "Nothing that concern's you." She said unintentionally harsh. She then noticed the moogle look down. "Sorry, my thought put me at unease." Fran apologized. Her thoughts returned to the sky pirate. _'Perhaps I was too harsh with Balthier.'_ She thought. She gave a deep sigh. "These feelings hurt" she accidentally said aloud.

"What feelings?" Alta asked.

"Nothing. Are you done?" the way farer asked.

"Yep! Take an easy on that leg, kupo!" Alta said as she walked Fran to the door. Fran thanked the moogle and walked to the store room where she found Balthier rummaging through the supplies. The viera kneeled down beside the pirate. Balthier jumped in surprise. "What did I tell you about sneaking up on my like that?" he said jokingly.

"I am sorry" she said as she looked at the supplies by his feat, "Are we almost prepared to leave?"

"Impatient, are we?" he replied with a smirk. "Yes. We can either walk all the way there or we can stop in Rabanastre and take an airship from there. Which do you prefer?" he asked.

"We can go to Rabanastre and decide from there. Also, while in town, we could visit Penelo and Vaan to thank them for watching the Strahl." Fran stated.

"To Rabanastre it is then!" the pirate said as he finished packing his stores. "Take care of her Nono!" Baltheir yelled as they left. "Now, Golmore jungle, here we come." He said as the two walked towards the Ozmone plains.

* * *

There is chapter 2. R&R. oh. by the way, i am still thinking of some side parings. suggestions? my sister tells me to do a penelox Larsa..tellme what you think,,,


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